---

As the winter weather wanes so does the seasonal work of the Women’s Hospitality Network [WHN], a group of volunteers and churches who provide support and respite for those experiencing homelessness.

Experiencing homelessness is the preferred appellation; replacing ‘the homeless,’ volunteer Derek Minno Bloom has explained.

“One thing to note is that the reason the network is using experiencing homelessness instead of referring to people as homeless is to be more humanizing,” said Minno Bloom, a founding organizer who also runs the Social and Food Justice program at Trinity Episcopal Church on Asbury Avenue. “This started from the bottom up, literally. We see homelessness as an issue of justice, not just charity.”

According to 2018 homeless counts, there are 9,303 men, women, and children experiencing homelessness across the state; a 9 percent increase over the prior year.

Based on Stan Rosenthal’s program for men administered in Freehold, WHN launched in 2017 following a panel discussion on the realities of life on the streets at Trinity Episcopal Church.

“When I first started out, I remember when the men opened their eyes in the morning, the first thing they talked about was where they were going to sleep that night,” Rosenthal said. “Pivotal to an individual’s success is identifying a safe and warm place for those who are not employed or in programs during the day.”

The local program provides women shelter from 6 pm to 7 am December through March on a rotating basis at six Asbury Park and Neptune churches, which has included Lutheran Atonement, The Campus at Macedonia in Neptune, Deliverance Temple, Trinity Episcopal, and Second Baptist. Guests are screened, nightly security checks are administered, and volunteers receive training, organizers said.

This year, 60 volunteers helped organize amenities and prepared meals during each of the 1,013 nights. Minno Bloom said WHN worked with the City of Asbury Park and Monmouth County Social Service departments to provide program assistance at each site.  And while there were one or two repeat participants from the prior year, 39 new women found respite through the network.

“The past two years have been rewarding in one sense and disheartening in another,” said founding organizer Dan Harris.

A deacon at Second Baptist Church on Atkins Avenue, Harris said volunteerism grew, as well as participation from partnering organizations, including Brookdale Community College and the Visiting Nurse Association.

“Interfaith Neighbors came on board with a grant, which assisted us in our day to day operations,” Harris said. “Through donations from individuals and churches, we were able to distribute laundry cards to all participants and gas cards for those with vehicles.”

Disheartening though, were that the number of women in need of shelter increased, Harris said.

“We are in need of additional churches willing to open their doors periodically to these women; so the struggle continues,” he said. “As Jesus stated in Matthew 9 verse 37, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few,’ Harris said. “So we look forward to next year with growing enthusiasm and anticipation knowing that our job is not done.”

In the end, six women went on to permanent housing, most went to live with friends or family, some went to shelters and three or four women continue to experience homelessness, Minno Bloom said.

Those experiencing homelessness can contact Monmouth County’s 24/7 hotline at 732-431-6000, ext 4613. To learn more about the Women’s Hospitality Network, call 732-705-7178 or visit whnap.org/asbury.

——————————————————————————–

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

---